Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-11-10
CAN SHE TRUST HIM?

CAN SHE TRUST Him?
Inez Claire turned her naughty dark
face from the gypsy, and crossed the
sward to where her lover and her
cousin stood.
''What did she tell you, that your
lips curl so, InezP" asked Roy Alton
with smile; zone would almost fancy
the old witch had tried to make you
fear some evil"
"She did" answered the girl scorn-
fully, her dark eyes flashing; ''false-
hood and treachery are evils, are they
not? She said they were about me-
falsehood on the lips | kissed, treach-
cry in the hearts [ trusted Bah! how
foolish it is to give ones hand to such
creature, and allow her to say such
things"
zone never does so in faith"
laughed pretty golden-haired Beatrice
Layen, the cousin, who, being or
phaned and penniless, owed all things
to the wealthy and generous Inez.
''And why not, my beautiful ladyP"
asked the old crone, who had followed
Inez, and paused near. SIS it that
you doubt, because my eyes might
pierce the mask you wear, and my
lips might speak of the arts you use,
by which you make man false to his
plighted word, and plunge into the
heart OF one who has been kind to you
dagger keen enough to Stay herr?
Your fair face is pale, lady, and your
blue eyes are full of fear; yet you paled
not when you stole out to meet an
others affianced husband, and you
feared not that he who was won in
falsehood would be rs false some day
TO yourself. All, blue-eyed beauty
with the traitorous heart, will you let
me read the lines of your hand and
warn you?
Beatrice shrank under the eyes Of
the seeress, and chung to Roy's arm,
her fair face deathly in its whiteness.
.She is horriblei Let us 90, faltered
the rose-leaf lips.
And the crone laughed as they went
slowly away from her through the sun
light.
''Pride, and love, and treachery,
and falsehood!' muttered the gypsy.
"Of such things can [ prophesy to all,
and never speak amiss. But for this
fair beauty, and the man beside her
I was abroad last night, and they
did not see me, as they talked of love
which must be kept secret. Bah!
such love must die, as die the roses.
/ read all human hearts, and they
give me gold, thinking | read the
stars"
Meanwhile, through the scents of the
Maytime went the three, and Roy whis-
pered q low word to Beatrice which
Incz did not hear.
Untroubled by the crone's predic-
tons, with faith as strong as the love
in her proud true heart, Inez never
dreamed of suspecting that her lover
whispers could be f'but stricken air,
or that the hearts she leaned on and
fully trusted planned their treachery
at her very side.
Roy fingered at the stately home OF
Inez until the moon was high, and she
accompanied him down the steps, and
part way to the gate that divided their
Gathers lands.
There, in the clear light of the full
May moon, they said goodnight. and
she stood watching him as be went,
until the shadows hid him from her.
My loye-my kingly loyal loye!'
she murmured.
Then sudden thought came-she
had not told him of certain plan fol
the morrow, formed by herself and
Beatrice.
She would fit after him, glide up t.
him ere he reached the gate-slip hel
hand in his, and laugh at his glad Sur
prise.
With light feet she hurried after
reached the shadows which had en-
folded him, passed through them ant
paused, like a startled doe, on thei
edge, fierce incredulous scorn grow
ing in her eyes, her proud face blanch
ing. swiftly, sharply. as blanch tn
faces of those smitten suddenly to tn
heart.
He stood before her, only a few fee
away-her lover, her promised hus
band-with a slight whitehead fgur
in his arms, dainty golden head. IN
covered to the moonbeams, nestlin:
close to his heart, while her cousin
red lips laughed merrily up at him
and her cousins white hand held bac
his face from hers.
May" Inez heard the girlish vote
say, with the laugh in it, ''you sha
not kiss me. The gypsy said you woul
be as false to me, some day, as 20
are now to Inez.
"And you doubt me you, who hay
made me chafe against my bondag
until am wiling to free myself